SOUTHEND United’s under 18 side got their own back on Barnet with a 5-2 win against the Bees in the Youth Alliance Cup on Saturday.

Just seven days before the crushing win at Boots & Laces, Blues had been beaten 4-0 by the north Londoners.

And Shrimpers youth team chief Ricky Duncan felt his side produced some of the best football of his decade at the club to exact revenge.

“This is an exciting group and some of the football we’re playing is the best I’ve ever seen from a Southend youth team,” said Duncan.

“Last week the boys were getting complacent after eight wins in a row and I think it showed.

“After that, the boys had a few meetings on their own and took some of the responsibility on themselves.

“It’s all part of the learning curve for them and they really wanted to prove a point.

“They worked hard to get the win they deserved and one of the goals Harry Phillips scored was the best I’ve seen here in a very long time.

“The performance was 100 times better than last week but they know they have to stay on it now and that they can’t afford to ease off at all.”

Blues were forced to fight back from behind to secure their success though as Barnet took the lead after 14 minutes with Nana Kyei on target.

However, the Shrimpers equalised just four minutes later when Muhammad Otuyo dropped Joe Bedford’s cross and Norman Wabo was on hand to fire home.

Moments later, Barnet hit back to regain the lead with Kyei scoring again, this time from the penalty spot but Blues levelled things up in the 38th minute with a spot-kick of their own, netted by Phillips.

Four minutes after the break, Southend went in front for the first time when Wabo head home a left wing cross from Bedford.

And, in the 63rd minute, the Shrimpers made it 4-2 with a brilliantly worked goal down the left flank .

Tom Clifford, Phillips and Renei Batlokwa all linked up well before Phillips netted with a sensational finish from a narrow angle.

But Blues were done there and they completed the scoring six minutes from time with Bedford firing home a caressed finish to fire Southend into the quarter-finals of the competition.

Southend United U18s: Bexon, Bwomono, Clifford, Bedford, Ripsher, Mackenzie, Gard (Musselwhite 76), Batlokwa, Wabo (Walker 70), Phillips, Dias (Matthews 86).

Subs not used: Macree & Hirst.